Dates of Interest
The Trouble with Religion
Social Attitudes Seminar, 11 May 2010
The British Social Attitudes Survey is an annual national survey by the National Centre for Social Research. It examines attitudes to diverse aspects of social change. The 26th report (January 2010), includes a chapter by Professor David Voas on attitudes to religious belief and practice and to religious diversity, and draws on comparable survey data in the USA.
Current sociological interest in religion stems in part from interest in ‘the idea that modernisation causes problems for religion’ (p.65) and in part from militant Islamist activity exemplified by 9/11. The data asks first whether people in the USA and Britain have similar views about religion. The main finding is that people in Britain are increasingly non-religious, 43% of British respondents said they were non-religious, compared to 15% in the USA. Despite this difference, most people in both countries have a pragmatic view about religion and are sceptical about excessive religious influence in public life. Second, the data asks whether people in Britain are more concerned about religion than in the USA , and whether this concern extends to a particular religion. The authors suggest that there is more concern about Muslims in Britain than in the USA, and more concern about Muslims than about any other religious group. The authors also find that British people are almost as negative towards ‘deeply religious’ people as they are towards Muslims.
There has also been vocal criticism, by leading secularists and humanists, of the undue importance given to religion and the role (and perceived dangers) of faith schools in a society that is less religious than it used to be. On the other hand, Christian spokespeople have detected marginalisation of, and negativity towards, Christianity.
As with last year’s Finance and Ethical Witness events, the Christian Muslim Forum is acting as a catalyst for reflection on these issues which affect Christians, Muslims, Christian-Muslim relations and wider society.
Claudine McCreadie, Julian Bond
Event Details
The main speaker will be David Voas, Simon Professor of Population Studies at the Institute for Social Change, Manchester University. There will be responses from Revd Dr Richard Burridge, Dean of King’s College and Humayun Ansari, Professor of the History of Islam and Cultural Diversity, Director, Centre for Minority Studies, Royal Holloway, University of London. There will also be responses from Christian and Muslim journalists.
This is the programme for the day:
11.30 Arrive, refreshments
12.00 Welcome
12.05 Key Speaker: Prof. David Voas
12.30 Response 1: Navid Akhtar (Gazelle Media)
12.40 Response 2: Christian journalist (tbc)
12.50 Brief Q&A, discussion
13.00 Lunch, Prayers
13.45 Response 3: Dr Richard Burridge
13.55 Response 4: Prof Humayun Ansari
14.05 Q&A, Discussion (Panel)
14.45 Final Comments
15.00 Close
Venue: Room K2.40, King’s College London, The Strand (near Somerset House), London
Other Events
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15 May 2010,
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4 - 6 June 2010, Men’s Retreat, Wales, places available, click link for bookings
30 June, 1 July 2010,
, Birmingham, places available, click link for bookings